Scotland comes to Vic Park

THE sound of pipes and drums will be heard in the city on Sunday, 23 February when the Ballarat Highland Gathering returns for another year.

Thirty-five bands from across the state will head to Victoria Park to compete, playing a variety of music from 10am until late afternoon.

Federation University Pipe Band’s pipe major, Neil MacDonald said the competition starts with the Novice A section and progresses to the better bands in the afternoon.

“We’re judged in two elements in the main competition. There’s a medley of tunes, which goes for five or six minutes. The medley’s more exciting to the untrained ear,” he said.

“There’s also a march, strathspey and reel which is a traditional two-four march. We march in to form a circle and compete playing in a circle.”

The last event on the program is an impressive one, with all pipe bands teaming up including musicians from Scotch College, Haileybury, Ballarat Grammar, Warrnambool and St Arnaud.

“The final mass band is at 4.30pm, with all the bands on the oval together, and that’s always a spectacle,” he said.

“The mass band’s a lot of fun for people who love bagpipes. We march towards the crowd playing traditional Scottish music, so a lot of people with Scottish heritage enjoy it.

“It’s a bit like the Edinburgh Tattoo. A lot of people like turning up to the mass band, but they can hear a lot of quality piping from 10am.”

Scottish stalls and food will be on site at the free event.